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Nigerian Girl Talks About Her Escape From Boko Haram in Dubai

One of the Nigerian girls who was kidnapped by
the terrorist group Boko Haram has spoken out about how she jumped out
of a moving truck to escape.

Boko Haram escapees, Rachel and Sa'a sharing their heartbreaking ordeal
during the Global Education and Skills Forum at the Atlantis, The Palm
in Dubai (Photo by Dhes Handumon/Khaleej Times)

Sa'a was speaking at the 5th annual
Global Education and Skills Forum, where she highlighted that 195 girls
remain missing after Boko Haram bombarded into their school in Chibok
with guns in April, 2014.

Sa'a, who uses a fake name to protect her
identity from terrorists, was one of the female students of the 276
pupils who were taken away in a truck by the terrorists. The incident
created a global backlash, and created the hashtag '#BringBackOurGirls'.
However, only 21 girls have been released until today and some came
back with babies.

"What happened that night was terrible. We
were writing our final exams. They came to our school dressed in
military uniforms, so we didn't know they were the Boko Haram. They
wanted us to get in the truck and told us they were going to protect us.
But they started shooting. All of the teachers ran away," Sa'a said.

"I thought I was going to die. They came with a
very long truck and loaded all of the food and the girls.

Some of the
girls couldn't fit, so they made them walk and follow the truck. Before
leaving, they burned down the school and all of our books.

"As we moved deeper into a forest, some of the
girls were jumping out of the truck. I turned to my friend and told her
we should jump too. We jumped and disappeared into the forest, but my
friend hurt her ankle and couldn't walk.

"We met a shepherd who took helped us with his bicycle. And then a man in a motorcycle took us home."

Even though Sa'a made it home, the Boko Haram men released a video, threatening to kill her and her family.

After Sa'a's escape, the Justice for Jos
Project found a school for her in the US where she went to study. In
January this year, she started college under a project called Education
Must Continue Initiative.

One other girl, who was not part of the Chibok
school abduction, lost her father and three younger siblings after they
were brutally shot dead by Boko Haram.

Rachel's father, a plain-clothed policeman,
was protecting a Church in 2014, when Boko Haram attacked him. He fled
to his house to gather his family, however, he and his three sons were
killed.

Rachel said: "I'm not comfortable with everything I've seen and been through - seeing dead bodies.

"A lot of the children there do not want to go to school because they are scared the same thing will happen to them."

Today, Rachel, who also uses a fake name to protect her identity, is in the process of admissions with an American college.

Both Rachel and Sa'a said they want their
stories to be told repeatedly in hopes that the missing girls will
return home safely one day. They also wish that their country can create
a safer environment for children so they can continue their education.

Nigerian Girl Talks About Her Escape From Boko Haram in Dubai
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on
March 18, 2017
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